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email update, October 24, 2010

Posted Sun, 10/24/2010 - 13:24

RESIDENT SATISFACTION SURVEY - IMPORTANT CHANCE FOR INPUT

Please take the opportunity soon to fill out the Resident Satisfaction Survey.  The deadline (October 31) is coming up fast!  You can do the survey online at:

http://www.banff.ca/town-hall/banff-town-council/strategic-priorities/resident-satisfaction.htm

It will only take about 20 minutes of your time, and that's time well spent, because the results of this survey are taken into account in council decision-making and budget-setting.  This is your chance to speak very directly to council about your opinions on the work the Town does.

BUDGET DATES SET

For all you keen budget fans out there, the dates for Council's budget meetings have been tentatively set.  All these meetings are open to the public:

November 22 and 29, 9 am to noon

December 1, 6, 8 and 13, 9 am to noon

MONDAY'S COUNCIL MEETINGS

On Monday, Council will have a series of meetings in Council Chambers, all open to the public ...

Official swearing in, at 1:30 pm

This is the ceremony in which mayor and council swear (or affirm) that they will perform their duties in an honest and diligent manner.

Other aspects of the Annual Organizational Meeting, at approximately 1:45 pm

Council will set the meeting schedule for the year, and will appoint members to all the boards and committees.  You can see the agenda package at:

http://www.banff.ca/Assets/PDFs/Town+Hall+PDF/Council+Agendas+PDF/2010+Agendas+PDF/council-agenda-101025_AOM.pdf

Regular Council Meeting, at approximately 2:30 pm

You can see the package for the regular council meeting at this link:

http://www.banff.ca/Assets/PDFs/Town+Hall+PDF/Council+Agendas+PDF/2010+Agendas+PDF/council-agenda-101025.pdf

This is a very low-key meeting, with a few items for information only. 

THANK YOU

Thank you all so much for all the support and encouragement.  I am absolutely overwhelmed by the kind comments and congratulations that I have received this past week! 

THE FINE PRINT

As always, this post represents only my personal and individual opinions and views, and does not purport to be an official communication of the Town of Banff or its Council.

Countdown to election day

Posted Sun, 10/17/2010 - 00:16
in

It's been a very busy few days. 

Last weekend of the campaign

On Thursday night, the all-candidates forum was very successful, thanks to the sponsorship of the BLLHMA and the hard work of Darren Reeder, Eric Harvie and moderator David Bayne.  About 200-250 people attended.  If you weren't able to make it to the forum in person, you can read the Outlook's online coverage at this link:

http://www.rmoutlook.com/article/20101015/RMO0801/310159977/-1/rmo/banff-forum-shows-community-facing-many-issues

It's a long link, so you may need to cut and paste it into your browser.

Friday morning, we met again at the high school for another forum, very well organized by social studies teacher Brad Skinner and the students.  It was great to hear the thoughtful and insightful questions from the students!  Friday afternoon, I did an interview for the Affecting You program of Park Radio.

And now it's the final weekend of door-knocking.  I had an interesting question today on Muskrat Street -- a resident was wondering whether your ballot is considered "spoiled" if you vote for fewer than the full six councillors.  My understanding is that you can vote for any number up to six.  However, with any questions like this that you may have, it's always a good idea to check when you're at the poll, as the people there are the experts.

The vote

And when will you be at the poll?  Anytime between 10 am and 8 pm on Monday, at Town Hall.

Remember to say thanks!

I hope that you'll take the opportunity over the next couple of weeks to thank the outgoing mayor and councillors, and all the candidates who put their names forward, whether they're elected or not.  These people have shown a lot of commitment to our community!

Vital chance for input

You've probably received the Town's Resident Satisfaction Survey in your mailbox by now.  This survey is extremely important.  It will give the new council a snapshot of what you feel is important, and how you feel the town programs and services are performing.  This will help council make decisions about their priorities for 2011 and beyond.  So please fill out that survey and turn it in!  If you'd prefer to do it on-line (which makes it easier for the town to collate, as well), you can do that at:

http://www.banff.ca/town-hall/banff-town-council/strategic-priorities/resident-satisfaction.htm

The deadline is October 31.

Less than a week to go

Posted Tue, 10/12/2010 - 13:34

The campaigning continues to be interesting!  Many thanks to everyone who has supported an ad, to the hard-working door-knocking volunteers, and to all of you who have welcomed me so kindly at your doors.

First and foremost, the important dates for you to remember:

  • *Tonight*:  the School Board candidates' forum at the YW at 7 pm
  • *Tomorrow* (Wednesday) from 10 am to 8 pm, advance poll at the Banff Springs Convention Centre
  • Thursday from 7 pm to 10 pm at the BPL, the all-candidates' forum
  • Monday, October 18th, vote at Town Hall from 10 am to 8 pm

This is a big week.  Besides doing my normal council work and committee meetings, I'm preparing for the forum on Thursday night.  It's at the Banff Park Lodge at 7 pm -- I hope to see you there.  What a challenge, to try to shoe-horn everything I'd like to say into a 2-minute intro and a 2-minute closing, while preparing for a question period that could cover every aspect of the town's business.

And speaking of shoe-horning, I just finished writing a summary of my election platform for the Outlook -- they gave each of us 175 words (!) to state our case.  Watch for the candidates' statements in the Thursday paper.

Tomorrow morning, I go to the Grade 6 class at Banff Elementary.  Students will be doing the interview -- I'm expecting some tough questions there, as well!

The weekend will be the final round of door-knocking, and then election day.  Then -- if I get elected -- the hard work begins again!

 

On the campaign trail -- October 3

Posted Mon, 10/04/2010 - 00:30

This was a great weekend for door-knocking.  So far, I've been to the doors on Springs and Glen Crescents, Glen and Cave Avenues, and throughout Middle Springs 2.  Hard-working volunteers have visited many other neighbourhoods, as well.

At the doors, I've been hearing about fiscal responsibility, how to get people out of their cars and onto transit, the possibility of adding a railing to the sidewalks on the bridge (to make it safer for families), aand how to increase safety of the mid-block crossings on Banff Avenue.  In Middle Springs, I heard about the immportance of following through on the recommendations from the housing working group.

Important dates to remember:
*Coming up fast*  October 6 - advance poll at the Banff Centre (Professional Development Centre), 10 am to 8 pm
October 13 - advance poll at the Banff Springs Hotel Conference Centre, 10 am to 8 pm
October 14 -- all-candidates' forum at the Banff Park Lodge, 7 pm to 9:30 pm
October 18 -- election day, vote at Town Hall, 10 am to 8 pm

Important reminder:
The application process is now open for those interested in joining the Banff Housing Corporation board. Deadline for applications is *coming up fast*:  October 6.  Find out how to apply at
http://www.banff.ca/town-hall/committee/committee-opportunities-2010.htm